A Promise
by Julian-Fan
Summary: Peter has promised her that he will return, but the railway accident prevents him from keeping his promise...or does it? PeterxOC. Set during and post Last Battle. PLEASE R&R!
1. Arrival

It was about midnight.

"Will she remember you?" asked Edmund Pevensie.

"She must. It's our best hope. Her house is nearest to Professor's old house. And I think we could trust her not to tell anyone about this. We just have to persuade her parents, somehow," came Peter Pevensie's reply.

They reached the house. Peter knocked softly on the door. It was a few minutes before it opened...and she stood there. Just like Peter remembered her, only older. Her soft brown hair fell loosely round her shoulders, her clear green eyes were as enchanting as ever.

"PETER!"

"Hi Laura," Peter grinned at her shock.

"Wh-what are you doing here...at this hour! It's almost midnight!"

"And it's pretty chilly, too!"

"Oh, yeah. I...uh...come in."

Peter and Edmund entered the house. Laura followed after shutting the door.

"So...what're you doing here at this hour?" she still couldn't believe it WAS him.

"I'll answer, I'll answer! Hold on! But I need to know first...where are your parents?"

Laura's face fell a little. "They're...away," came her answer, but her voice wasn't quite right. But Peter had no time to worry about that just then. There was important work for him and Edmund. "Away? Well...I think it's an advantage, really. It's not easy to concoct a believable story for grown-ups," he considered.

"Story?"

"Yes. Actually, we're here on a job, but...well...let's just say it's not something you can tell everyone about. That's one of the main reasons I...I mean, we...came here. I thought I could trust you to trust me. And not ask too many questions."

"You've changed," said Laura, after a pause. "You used to be a little more...tactical."

"Oh! I...well..." Peter had no answer. Edmund took over.

"Don't mind him. We've got some really important work and his mind is full of that! We'd tell you if we hadn't been forbidden from talking about it to anyone not knowing about it. Maybe we _will_ be telling you, someday. But we can't do that now, sorry. Really sorry."

"That's OK. Never mind. You'll be staying the night, I suppose?" Her eyes were still on Peter.

"Yeah...there will be room, right?" it was Edmund who replied.

"You can have the two small guest rooms...Mum and Dad's room will be too cold. Have you had supper?"

"Of course! About an hour ago. And we wouldn't trouble for food even if we hadn't had it."

"It wouldn't be any trouble. Anyway, come, I'll show you the rooms."


	2. A Shock

Peter and Edmund were going over their plan. They had to get the rings as soon as possible and be at the station to meet Jill and Eustace's train...with Lucy, the Professor and aunt Polly accompanying them, of course. And their own parents would be on the same train, according to Edmund. They'd be sure to take it to go to Bristol. Thankfully Professor's old house was just next door. It wouldn't take long. The boys...or rather, the young men...fervently hoped no one had found the rings already. The had workmen's dresses with them, hidden in the garden outside. It wouldn't do for Laura to see them. It'd invite too many questions. Eventually, Edmund got tired of going over the plans again and again and retired to his own room to snatch few hours' sleep before stealing into the next-door garden. Peter lay on his bed with the bedside lamp on, playing their task over and over in his head. Hopefully it wouldn't be too late to reach the Narnian in the Professor's fireplace...whoever he had been. A week had passed already.

"Peter?" came a soft voice from the doorway. Peter immediately sat up in his bed. It was Laura.

"Oh...hi," he wasn't sure what to say. After all, she might still be hurt about his lack of tact.

"How come you aren't asleep yet?" she entered the room.

"Oh...I'll not be able sleep at all, tonight, I think. I keep thinking about our work. We should finish it and be ready to leave by tomorrow morning, at around eight."

"But then...when will you do your work, whatever it is?"

"Let's say at around...dawn?" Peter grinned at Laura's horrified face.

"But...working so early...you need some sleep!"

"I'll be alright, don't worry," Peter was surprised at how quickly his discomfort had gone.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"No...it's OK. You don't have to take so much trouble for me...or Ed, either. As it is we came so suddenly in the middle of the night. Let's just talk, shall we? We've both got a lot about each other to catch up on, anyway, and..." he paused, debating whether or not to apologise. Perhaps it would be better not to bring it up?

"And?" Laura asked, sitting down at the end of his bed.

"And...I'm sorry, Laura! I'm sorry I sounded so tactless. It didn't really come out the way I meant it, you know. It's...well...I'm sorry!" he finished abruptly.

"I didn't really mind! Just forget it. We've both changed, anyway, and I suppose being straightforward is good if you're planning to ask a girl out," she smiled. The smile that still made Peter's heart flip over.

"You've really grown, you know," she continued. "I don't think I would've recognised you had it not been for your eyes. You've finished your studies, haven't you?"

"Of course. And you?"

"Me too. Funny, isn't it? Last time we met, we hadn't started at the University. And now, we've graduated from there. Time has really flown!"

"We did keep in touch through letters."

"Not for the past year. You never wrote. So I gradually stopped, too. I thought...maybe you didn't need me anymore," Laura looked away.

"No way!" Peter was surprised at the pain in her voice. "I never forgot you, I swear! I just...well...I kept forgetting. That must sound horrible, but, well...I had lots of studies and plenty of tough exams...and girlfriends."

"Plural?" her voice sounded a little funny.

"Three. I broke up with each after a few months. They all were nice, but there was sort of...something missing from them. I don't know what. But none of them really clicked with me. But I was really troubled with the whole business. I know it shouldn't have stopped me from writing to you, but...I'm sorry for it. But I did need you and still do. I really missed you, believe me." He let his hand rest lightly on hers. She didn't move her hand away.

"I do believe you. I knew there must be some reason why you were not writing, but all the same, it was horrible not to have anyone I could trust, especially since Mum and Dad..." she broke off abruptly.

"What about them? You said they were away, didn't you?" Laura couldn't speak and Peter was horrified to see tears rolling down her cheeks. He moved closer to her. "Laura...what's wrong? What happened to your parents? They're alright, aren't they?"

"Peter...Mum and Dad...they...they are...dead!" At this, she broke down completely and tears streamed down her cheeks, almost blinding her. Peter put his arms round her and drew her close to him, letting her head rest on his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.


	3. The Hours Pass

He held her close to him, allowing her tears to flow, washing her pain out. Eventually Laura's sobs grew softer as her tears slowly ceased to flow. She quietened down and gradually pulled away from him. He still held her hand. She knew the question he had in his mind and answered before he could ask.

"It was a car accident...about three months back. They were returning from a party. They crashed into another car...it's driver was probably drunk. Both of them died on the spot," Laura's voice still shook slightly. "I wasn't very well that day. Or I would've gone to the party too. Life's been hell after that day...until now." She gave a small smile as she looked up at Peter. "It was terrible having to sort out all the property, inheritance and things like that, you know, especially since I kept remembering that Mum and Dad were...gone. I wish I hadn't been ill that day. I could've been with Mum and Dad." Tears glistened in her eyes again, but she blinked them back. Peter tightened his grip on her hand.

"I really wanted you to be there at that time," she continued. "But I hadn't had a letter from you since ages and I didn't want you to burden with my troubles. So I didn't write to you. The last three months...I was really lonely. I felt like I was all alone, with no one to care for me...no one _I _could care for. Your sudden visit was a really nice surprise. I had almost begun to think you'd never really cared for me...that I'd imagined it all."

"I _do_ care for you," Peter answered gently, taking her hand in both his own. "I always have...and always will. I shouldn't have stopped writing to you. I'm really sorry for that. But I had no idea something like this could happen. I wish you'd told me. It wouldn't have been a burden. I could have come immediately. I'm sorry you had to bear it all alone."

"I've been trying to get over it since ages, but I just can't seem to return to normal life. I'm all alone at home nowadays and that makes it so much more difficult. I wish you had come to stay for a few days, Peter. That'd make things so much better. But you'll be leaving tomorrow morning...or rather, today morning. It's nearly one." She looked really upset. Peter wanted to do something...anything...that would bring her smile back.

"I'll return," he said the first thing he could think of. "I'll return as soon as I finish my work. I have to give something to somebody at the railway station. I'll return as soon as possible after that."

"You will?" she looked up at him. "You will be able to do that? What about your parents? And your siblings?"

"They'll not mind. It's only for a little while, anyway. Ed can go directly to Professor Kirke's place...where we are supposed to be...if he wants, but I'll certainly return, no matter for how little time. I promise." He took both her hands in his own. "This is one promise I'll never break. Trust me."

"I do trust you. More than myself, maybe. I...thanks...for saying you'll return." She looked a lot happier now.

There was a pause for a few moments. Both were silent, looking at each other. Peter finally broke the silence.

"Remember the first time we met?"

"How could I forget it? You made me jump out of my skin! Not the best way to greet a stranger!" she smiled. Peter went red.

"You _know_ it was a mistake. I meant to scare Lucy, not you. Anyway, it was Hallowe'en. I had full right to scare people! As it happens, Lucy used the same costume to scare Susan last Hallowe'en!"

"I bet she didn't like it! Is she still taken up with boys?"

"And makeup and dresses and parties. She hasn't changed one bit. I doubt she ever will. In fact, it was _she_ who found those three girls for me. Maybe that's why I broke up with them all. They weren't really my type...or rather,_ I_ wasn't their type."

"But how could they...how could _anyone_ dislike you? You're understanding, intelligent and really caring...and, well, handsome too."

Peter grinned. "Thanks for the compliments, but I don't think understanding and intelligent is among a normal girl's criteria for a good boyfriend. I wish there were more girls who thought like you...but there aren't. Maybe that's why I like you so much...because you're so different from the other girls!"

Laura blushed. "Thanks," she said in a half-whisper. Peter realized an uneasiness was building in her due to the compliment. "Maybe I'd like some coffee _now_," he said, hoping she would get over the discomfort after being away from him for a while.

"I'll get it," she said, and Peter could tell he had done the right thing from her tone. She returned quite some time later with a mug of steaming coffee in her hand.

"Aren't you feeling tired yet?" she asked, surprised that anyone could have so much energy.

"Not really. But I can tell that you are...don't bother to lie to me! There's still over an hour's time left to go before dawn. Take some rest."

"It's alright. I'll just sit in the chair for sometime. If you can stay without sleeping, so can I!" She handed him the mug of coffee and sat down in the chair next to the bed. But she certainly couldn't stay without sleep, for before Peter was even halfway through the coffee, she was fast asleep. Peter looked at her and smiled to see her sleeping so peacefully. He set the mug down on the bedside table and went to the chair. Lifting her gently in his arms, he carried her to bed and set her down, pulling a sheet over her. She turned in her sleep and a strand of hair fell on her face. Peter bent, and brushed the hair away from her face. Then, as if he had meant to do it all along, he softly kissed her forehead.

"I know now what was missing from all the other girls, Laura. I never really loved any of them...because none of them were _you_. I love you! I always have, though I never realized it," he whispered to her, though she could hear nothing. Then he rose, picked up the mug and switched the lights off. "I'll see you soon!" he whispered to her for the last time, lightly touching her hand, and then turned and walked out of the room to Edmund's, silently shutting the door behind him.


	4. Departure

Laura opened her eyes. She was on a different bed, in a different room...not at all similar to her own. As the previous night gradually flooded into her mind, she sat up on the bed in panic and looked at the clock...it was eight! In fact, it was a minute past! Laura got out of the bed in frantic hurry and rushed to the door of the room...and bumped into Peter.

"Peter! You're...still...here!" she panted.

"Did you think I'd be able to leave without seeing you?" Peter placed his hands on her shoulders.

"No...just...you said you'll return, so...I thought..."

"I'd think it's unimportant to see you before leaving now," he completed the sentence for her. "Impossible! I would never be able to do that. As it is, I hate leaving right now. Even for a little while. Anyway, seeing that I have to...come on! Let's go down. Ed's waiting." He took her hand and led her downstairs to the living room. Edmund was waiting there, a disgruntled look on his face.

"How much longer are you going to take?" he asked impatiently.

"Relax, Ed. We're leaving right now." Peter turned to Laura. "Bye! I'll see you soon!"

"But...you _will_ return, won't you?" Laura half-whispered, holding on to his hand...she feared losing him again, like last time.

"Still don't believe me?" he smiled.

"I do...but...I just keep feeling I'm going to lose you...that I shouldn't let you go. Peter...is it really necessary for you to go?"

"It is. But I'll return, I promise. But you'll have to promise you won't cry. Please! I hate to see tears in your eyes. It is for a short time, after all!"

Laura nodded. She bit her lip, but she just couldn't hold herself back...she suddenly threw herself on him and hugged him tightly. Edmund dropped the bag he was holding. Peter hugged her back...and Edmund's mouth dropped open, this time (he would've been able to swallow a mouse with ease!).

But Peter would really have to leave now. He pulled back from Laura. "Now I really have to go. Or we'll miss the train we are to meet. See you soon! Bye!"

And he left. It was the last time she saw him alive.

* * *

What followed was a railway accident...turning Laura's entire world upside down. The shock came too soon after loss of the parents. She did not shed a single tear...she just turned into a walking corpse. She withdrew within herself, practically cutting herself off from the rest of the world. All life and laughter seemed to have been sucked out of her. Living had lost all its meaning.

* * *

**A/N:** _Thank you so much, **ZashleyTroypayislove**, **herbieunloaded**,** brezzybrez**,** RoXxIdEvIl**, and** hdmlover** for the reviews. I'd love to have even more reviews!! Any constructive criticism is most welcome!_


	5. In The Real World

Peter was sitting in the wardrobe room of Professor Kirke's house. Among all the places in both Narnia and England (the Real ones, of course), he liked this place best. It gave him total solitude and peace when he needed it. Except when Edmund, Lucy or his parents occasionally looked in, that is. He loved Narnia, but ever since coming to the Real worlds, he had preferred less attention and more peace.

Since he had arrived in the Aslan's World, he kept feeling like he was forgetting something. Mostly, he had clear memories of the shadowlands of both England and Narnia, but he suspected...he _knew_...that he was forgetting something. Whenever possible he just escaped to the wardrobe room to turn all his memories over and over in his head, searching for what he was missing out. So far, he had found nothing. Until Lucy suddenly popped her head round the door.

"Peter...look at this!" She held up a small iron box. "I found it in your room." She walked across to where her brother sat and handed him the box. "It's got some of your letters in it. I thought you'd better see them yourself. You know, I've been going through our house in this place and all our possessions are there except Susan's. The room which should be hers is totally bare. And there's nothing belonging to her in anywhere in the house...or anywhere else, either. It's like...she doesn't exist or something!"

"Well...she doesn't. Not here, at least!" Peter opened the box. Inside, as Lucy had said, was an untidy stack of letters, from different people...from his parents, when they had gone to America with Susan; from Edmund and Lucy when they were at Eustace's place and had ventured into the shadow of Narnia for the last time; from Eustace, Jill and Professor Kirke, during the later years; his dad, during the war and...letters from Laura! Memories that he had been searching for so hard suddenly burst into his mind as he looked at Laura's neat writing on the envelopes. He had promised her to return, and that promise had remained unfulfilled. He had simply left her alone...so soon after her parents' death...and he had actually forgotten about her! Memories of the night before the accident flooded his mind. She had been so happy to have his company and so eager for his return. And now...she'd never see him again.

"Peter? What's wrong?" Lucy asked, concerned about the pain on Peter's face. "Peter! I'm talking to you!"

"Huh?!" Peter snapped out of his reverie. "Oh...Lu, I...nothing...just remembered something...I...just let me be alone for sometime, please! Tell Ed not to come here right now, either...oh, and Mum and Dad too. Please!"

"Fine. I'll tell Mum and Dad. Ed's not here anyway, he's riding around the Lantern Waste with Philip. But...are you sure you're OK? You look kind of weird!"

"Yeah I'm OK. Totally fine!" Peter assured Lucy. She left the room, leaving Peter all alone...except for his thoughts.

His thoughts. He couldn't break his promise to Laura. He had to get back to her. But how? He was dead according to the shadowlands. Was it possible to return? Would Aslan allow it?

"Caspian!" he suddenly remembered. Caspian had been to their world...the shadow, that is...after his death in the shadow of Narnia. It had been only for five minutes, according to Lucy and Edmund, but he had been there. Wouldn't...wouldn't Aslan allow him to return, too?

"Hey Peter!" Edmund stood at the door. "Lucy said something about you wanting to be alone..."

"Obviously you didn't pay attention to that,'' grinned Peter, in spite of what was going on in his heart. He was rather glad to see Edmund, really. He could talk to him...he knew something about the night at Laura's place, after all. "Lu said you were in Lantern Waste...on Philip."

"I was."

"Back so early?"

"Early? I've been there hours! But that's not the point right now," Edmund impatiently waved off the routine enquiries. "Why d'you want to be alone? Lu said she gave you a box of your letters and you went all berserk after seeing them. What's up?"

"Its...Laura," Peter lowered his gaze. Edmund sat down by him.

"You miss her?" he asked gently. "Well...it can't really be helped, Peter. Susan's not here, either."

"It not that, Ed. I...I promised her I'd return. And she was so eager for my return! She...she's lost her parents, Ed!"

"What? And you never mentioned a thing!"

"Everything just happened so fast. The accident...Tash and the stable...coming here...all our old friends...mum and dad...I've hardly had time to think about anything! And by the time everything quieted down, I'd...well...forgotten about it," Peter turned red.

"That's no excuse! If you really loved her, you shouldn't have forgotten her for a moment! I think you should find Aslan immediately and speak to him about this. He'll be sure to find a way...it's the least you can do to _try_ to make up at least, 'cause what you did is definitely not the best way to make up for her love!"

Edmund jumped up and left the room, leaving Peter more downcast than before. He knew he had done something very wrong and perhaps, speaking to Aslan was the only way, but how could he face him?

"Did you want to speak to me, Peter?"

Peter turned to find the lion's head in the cupboard speaking to him. Of course, it was no longer a lion's head. but The Lion's head...that of Aslan himself.

"I...Aslan...well...um...yes," Peter finally managed to say, but he still couldn't meet His eyes. "I do need to...talk to you about...well...it's a request really. It's like this..."

* * *

**A/N:** _Sorry for being late, but my exams were going on; besides, it's a little long, this one. I just hope it's not too boring! I don't like this chapter (or the previous one) much _myself_, but they were necessary. Only one more chapter to go after this, probably. Maximum two. And thanks for all the reviews!_


	6. Return

**A/N:** _This chapter is sometimes from Peter's point of view and sometimes from Laura's...and the first and last bits are from my point of view! I've inserted the rulers in between...I hope you won't get confused!_

* * *

Peter breathed deeply in the air of the shadow of England. It was far less beautiful than the Real world, but at least this was where Laura was. This was her house.

Ten minutes. That was all he had. It wasn't much, but then Aslan had allowed only five minutes at first. He had managed to double the time after much persuasion. But it still wasn't much. He had to find Laura fast.

Peter searched all the rooms upstairs, where he was. She wasn't there. Five of his precious ten minutes had passed.

Downstairs, he was just about to enter her room when he heard the front door open, and then shut, softly. He whirled around to see Laura standing behind him. She was looking straight at the place where he stood and yet, she did not seem to see him. Of course, that was supposed to happen, remembered Peter, for, as Aslan had warned him, Laura would neither see nor hear him, but only feel him.

* * *

Laura was slightly stressed. Concentrating on work wasn't so easy when your heart had already shattered into pieces that refused to join. Entering the house only increased her gloom.

Laura walked to her room...and suddenly started in shock as she felt her arm brush against something in the doorway. She turned. There was nothing there.

She entered the room...but something unnerved her. There was...something...about. She felt it.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulders and jumped violently. She knew that touch. "Peter!" she whispered. She had forgotten to cry in her shock. "Are you...really...here?"

* * *

Peter felt even more guilty, hearing her call his name. How did she know? She still remembered him and quite clearly missed him all the time, whereas he had so quickly forgotten all about her. He hated to see her this way; the twinkle in her eyes, her smile, the colour in her cheeks...it was all lost, all gone. He hated being so close to her and yet so far, too; she couldn't see him, nor hear him and yet, he could so clearly see her in pain. He wanted to speak to her...assure her he was really there; he wanted her smile to return. But how?

Peter's gaze fell on Laura's desk. The solution was right there...

* * *

Laura desperately looked all about her, trying to find something...some little thing...that would tell he rthat her instinct was correct. That Peter was really there. She turned towards the desk behind her...and gasped. The pen had apparently been lifted from the pen tray by an invisible hand and was busy writing in her letterpad.

"Peter?" Laura called uncertainly, again, and she moved towards her desk.

_Yes_, scribbled the pen in the letterpad. _It's me but I've only 5 mins._

"Five minutes? For what?" Laura asked. Talking to a pen would have been pretty amusing had it not been for the seriousness in the situation.

_5 mins 2 b with u_, flew the pen across the paper, using all the short forms possible to cut down on time. _I promisd u I'd return so I hv but i wasn't allowd much time by Aslan. Laura I wanna tell u that I u. I wish the accdnt hadn't happened but I couldnt hv helpd it. I really really u, Laura. I didn't want to leave you, believe me._

"I know you didn't, Peter...I believe you," tears rolled down Laura's cheeks...she just couldn't hold them back any longer. "I love you too, Peter."

_Laura please promise me you'll do your best not 2 b upset bcause I'm not there. I hate seeing you upset...becoz of me, too_, scribbled the pen at top speed._ And please dont ever try to end your life. There is still time for plenty of happiness, Laura. Live your life and enjoy it...for me, atleast._

Laura nodded, unable to speak, tears streaming down her eyes. Then she felt hands...HIS hands...gently wiping the tears from her eyes. His arms were now round her and pulled her close to him and...

There was a gust of wind. Laura no longer felt his arms round her...or his presence in the room. She looked at the clock on her desk. Five minutes were up.

* * *

**A/N:** _I will be writing another chapter, after all. But a really, really short one. The epilogue. I'll finish it soon, hopefully!_


	7. Epilogue

Laura kept her promise. A new Laura suddenly emerged before everyone. "She had shut herself away from everyone after that railway accident but there has been a huge change...overnight! She is much more like before, now," was the opinion of her neighbour. "Our favourite teacher!" "She teaches beautifully and all the children love her!" came the opinions of children and colleagues, respectively, when she started working in a school a few months later. Yet, in the absence of her parents and Peter, no one was there to notice the few lapses when her smile did not reach her eyes, her happiness did not come from the heart. No one saw her pillow which was so often wet in the morning. Even Aslan had to give in at the end...after two more years he finally brought her to the Real world where Peter had been waiting for her. They were finally together Life after that was...bliss for they were finally where they belonged...and that is, together.

* * *

**A/N:** _Finally the epilogue. The end of the story. I feel so empty...so blank. I mean...one entire story finished! But I'm really happy with it. It turned out exactly like I wanted. And a great big sorry for all the pains my story caused in the readers' hearts! Thank you to all of you for being patient and commenting, too!_


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